Purchase of Local and Sustainable Food by 2025
The Ohio State University Panel on Food Sustainability
September 2016
Introduction
The Ohio State University has a tremendous opportunity to become a leader in addressing one
of the most important challenges of our time: feeding a growing population in a manner that
ensures human health; the economic viability of food producers, processors and distributors;
and unwavering stewardship of the earth’s limited natural resources.
In November 2015, The Ohio State University established strategic sustainability goals to move
the university towards becoming a global model of sustainable operations and practices. One
of the goals within the Resource Stewardship focus is to “increase production and purchase
of locally and sustainably sourced food to 40% by 2025.”
Dedicated to providing a fully-immersive learning experience and with over 35,000
opportunities a day to reach their constituents each year, the various campuses of Ohio State
are in an ideal position to discover and implement innovative business models that will better
serve all members of the community for decades to come. Beginning with this charge to
source 40% of our food from local and sustainable sources within 10 years, we aim to catalyze
positive change that will reach far beyond the campus landscapes and dining halls to benefit
the citizens of Ohio and across the country.
The “40% goal” is timely in that it represents a confluence of interest among passionate and
active students, creative and progressive staff, internationally recognized faculty scholarship,
Discovery Themes strategic direction, committed university partners, and an administration
supportive in improving the Ohio State food system. The panel charged with developing the
action plan has worked hard at a challenging time of year to draft the following plan of action
for achieving a very challenging goal. We expect that the plan will be continuously evaluated,
revised, and improved based on our experience and research as work proceeds, but all are
committed to accomplishing the end goal within the targeted time frame, and continuing to
improve the Ohio State food system well beyond this initial goal. Following are accounts of
the progress to date and the current plans for moving forward.
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Completed actions:
The panel members named in the original charge (Appendix A) met May 16, 2016, followed
by meetings of the full panel on June 6, July 8, August 10, and September 6, with reports
shared online between meetings.
 May 16: Initial discussion of panel charge, representation needed on the panel, initial
recommendations for additional panel members (faculty, staff and students along with
one initial external member), process for additional recommendations and invitations
decided. All people invited to join the panel accepted the invitation. Appendix B contains
a complete list of panel members.
 June 6: First full panel meeting, including introductions, understanding the variation in
perspectives on the meaning of local and sustainable purchasing, coming to a consensus
on committee co-chairs (Zia Ahmed, Brian Snyder, Casey Hoy, Mara Momenee), and
assigning initial tasks.
 July 8: Presentations on existing initiatives – Dining Services, Wexner Medical Center,
Real Food Challenge; initial framing of the action plan to be delivered in September;
initial discussion of definitions for local and sustainable.
 August 10: Discussion of individual panel member definitions and emerging panel
consensus on definitions of local and sustainable (definitions follow); strategy for
preparing the action plan including scope, outline, and process.
 September 6: Met with the Provost and Vice President for Student Life to review outline
of final report and solicit their comments and additional suggestions for inclusion.
Developed a group strategy for completing the action plan on time and a plan for regular
monthly meetings in the immediate future.
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Defining “Local” and “Sustainable”
No single definition exists for the terms local and sustainable that are stated in the goal. A
working definition, however, should identify the challenges, problems or opportunities we
are trying to address. The panel agreed that we should have an initial working definition that
will not only inform criteria and metrics, but also help us estimate baselines and progress.
We expect this definition to be more general at least at the outset, and then refined over
time, particularly as we gain experience with the research and data we use to measure our
progress towards the sustainability goal. The formation of definitions should be a dynamic
process that involves ongoing discussion and evaluation, rather than a static and inflexible
concept in either case.
Definition of “Local”
The panel agrees that a geographic boundary, which may be more or less distinct, should be
part of our definition of local and that the geographic extent upon which we should focus in
our work includes the entire state of Ohio at a minimum. We agree that there should be
consideration of additional area around Ohio but without a sharp limiting boundary, at least
at this point, to this additional area. Furthermore, a quality that the majority of the panel
seeks in local sourcing is a positive relationship inherent in the relationship between Ohio
State and our food sources, either directly with Ohio State and the businesses we support or
between those businesses and the communities they are part of, or both. We also recognize
that this quality of relationship or community support may overlap with our evaluation of
sustainable.
Words we used individually in defining local:
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Definition of “Sustainable”
The panel agrees that our definition of sustainable must consider the long-term impacts of
our food sourcing – as in generations – consistent with the sustainability goals principles,
and that it must consider the environmental, economic, and social and/or ethical impacts of
our food sourcing. Although it will be challenging to achieve agreement on definitions,
measurements and criteria, the potential environmental, economic and social impacts of our
food purchasing should include considerations including but not limited to: preserving the
natural resources upon which food production relies; the working conditions and rights of
agricultural workers; treatment of animals, nutrition and health; continuous learning; and
lasting resiliency of the food system in which we are participating.
Words we used individually in defining sustainable:
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Agenda of Action
Panel Timeline
Action Item 1
Action Item 2
Action Item 3
Action Item 4
Action Item 6
Action Item 7
Action Item 8
11/01/2016
12/15/2016
5/15/2017
5/15/2017
05/15/2017
12/15/2017
NEED DATE
05/01/2018
Communications
Perspective
Review
Workgroup
Report
Governance
Transparency
Report
Web-based
Reporting
Academic
involvement
External
Engagement
Action Item
Guiding Principles
As a constructive place to begin, the University Panel on Food Sustainability, charged with
achieving the 40% goal, has chosen to pursue three more immediate and crucial objectives
along the road to ultimate success.
1) First, we plan to achieve 100% transparency with regard to the sources and
production means for all food currently sourced for campus dining venues within two
years (i.e. by October 1, 2018). For all fresh food, including produce, meat, eggs, and
dairy products, we will know the farms producing our food and basic information
about the production method used on those farms. For processed food products, we
will know the location of the processing facilities involved and the geographical
range, if not the exact locations, of the producers they rely upon for raw materials.
This objective will involve fostering relationships with farms and other food system
actors that encourage open communication of practices and shared goals to create a
healthier, more resilient food system. We will ask the University to adopt such
transparency as an official policy, and insist that all vendors supplying our dining halls
and other campus dining facilities comply with this policy, given reasonable notice.
2) Second, we will insist on establishing clear and consistent metrics by which we
determine the localness and sustainability of food sources in a way that assures
continuous improvement throughout and after the course of this project. We realize
we have a flawed system, but by acknowledging this we are pledging to take tangible
steps now and in the future to achieve a system that provides for the good of all
stakeholders. A key element of our commitment to continuous improvement will be
to document customer/patient satisfaction with changes to our campus food
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systems. The goal of 40% local and sustainable food is no small endeavor, but a worldclass institution such as Ohio State has a responsibility to use its resources and
human power to continually strive for a more equitable food system for all.
3) As a third principle to guide our work, we pledge to assure that the methodology we
use will reflect the diversity of perspectives within this dynamic and ever-changing
community, especially those marginalized by the current food system. We will
accomplish this by developing a governance structure that provides both consistency
of crucial definitions and ongoing review of progress, while incorporating newer
knowledge and novel circumstances throughout the process. We can never settle on
a single, static way of looking at the challenges we face, but with ongoing discussion,
evaluation, and measurement strategies, we believe this panel will be well-equipped
to craft a truly inclusive approach to meeting this sustainability goal for all.
Action Item One: Communications plan
In collaboration with university communicators, this panel will develop a comprehensive
communications plan by November 1, 2016 to keep the campus community informed
regarding ongoing panel progress toward the food related sustainability goal. This plan will
utilize a variety of communication channels to reach our diverse stakeholders, which
includes Ohio State students, faculty and staff; food producers, processors and distributors;
government agencies; and the general public. The panel is deeply committed to receiving
and integrating feedback from stakeholders, and as such will implement multiple modes of
engagement (social media, web site, direct messaging, town halls, surveys, et cetera) to
capture and address questions and suggestions of all those affected by this action agenda.
Action Item Two: Perspectives
The panel will review various perspectives within the university community and existing
industry frameworks for local and sustainable food sourcing by December 15, 2016. In
addition, the panel will invite individuals and groups, such as the Real Food Challenge, Joann
Lo of the City of Los Angeles Food Policy Council, and a group from Harvard, to share their
insights and perspectives. Furthermore, our panel also will continue outreach and promote
conversations with additional campus organizations, faculty, staff, and students interested
in food systems and sustainability to gain additional insights prior to the deadline.
Action Item Three: Workgroups
Based on community perspectives, the panel will establish an initial set of targeted
workgroups made up of faculty, staff, students and external stakeholders by January 1, 2017
to further engage the University community and propose actions for specific goal areas.
Additional workgroups may be established as needed. The panel plans to establish these
collaborative workgroups to focus on specific tasks – for example, research sourcing data
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and metrics, explore curriculum integration, establish governance systems, and create a
producer and distributor outreach strategy. The panel will disseminate workgroup reports
for the university stakeholders and solicit feedback by May 15, 2017.
Action Item Four: Governance
The panel will initiate an inclusive system of governance that engages students, staff,
faculty, and stakeholders, ensuring a rigorous and transparent approach, as called for in the
Panel charge, that provides for continuous improvement and evaluation of the initiative.
Based on feedback and overall direction of the initiative, the panel will evaluate the
integration and involvement of university administration, students, faculty, staff, and
appropriate external partners in roles and decision-making related to their expertise and/or
scope of responsibilities. The panel will also explore mechanisms for evaluating and
adopting consumer preferences and/or demands as they change over time. This action item
will be completed by May 15, 2017.
Action Item Five: Transparency Reports
Student Life Dining Services, Medical Center Nutrition Services, and Athletics and Business
Advancement will provide a transparency report for fresh produce, meat, eggs and dairy
products by May 15, 2017. The report will include items purchased and supplier, origin, and
usage information to the extent that this information is available. Where information is
unavailable, the reasons for the missing information will be shared. The report will be used to
identify opportunities to improve local purchases and/or sustainability practices. Fresh
produce, meat, eggs and dairy categories represent significant costs in university purchases as
well as having strong potential to impact the local and sustainable supply chain
network. These data will inform current practices. The panel will select the next wave of
categories and completion deadlines by August 15, 2017.
Action Item Six: Measurement and Reporting
Targeted metrics to measure “local” and “sustainable” progress will be selected or
developed and implemented based upon information gathered through May 2017. These
metrics will be reevaluated frequently and adjusted accordingly over time. By December 15,
2017, the workgroup will create a web-based reporting system for local and sustainable
metrics that is accessible to the entire campus community. The reporting systems can be
used to document progress and to communicate continuous improvement.
Action Item Seven: Academic Involvement
Directly aligning with our goals of both educational impact and transparent reporting of
purchasing data and analysis, the panel will work collaboratively with colleges and
departments to design academic course content that contributes to reporting data, metrics,
and analysis of local and sustainable food purchasing. The panel will leverage current
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courses to provide targeted content and expand service-learning opportunities by the end
of Spring Semester 2017 including: (1) ENR/AED ECON/FABE 4567: Assessing Sustainability:
Project Experience, a capstone course for the Environment, Economy, Development, and
Sustainability (EEDS) major in which students analyze sustainability of targeted projects
(including preliminary purchasing analysis completed last spring); (2) ENR 5600: Sustainable
Agriculture and Food Systems, in which students gain a greater understanding of the multifaceted issues in the food system; (3) PUB AFRS/CRP/AEDE 5900: Food System Planning and
the Economy, which takes an economic and policy approach to understanding the food
system; (4) SWK5026: Community Food Strategies, in which students contribute to local
food security issues; (5) HTHRHSC 2300: Service-Learning in Vulnerable Communities, where
students are exposed to community-based learning and research; and (6) RS 5530: Sociology
of Agriculture and Food Systems, in which students are already contributing to our goals.
The panel also plans to develop a proposal by the end of Spring Semester 2018 for either a
new GEN ED course as an introduction to food systems sustainability issues or content that
could fit into many existing and new GEN ED courses to achieve the same greater
understanding of and preparation for research on the contributions of food purchasing at
Ohio State to food system sustainability in Ohio and beyond.
Action Item Eight: External Engagement
The panel will develop a strategy for additional engagement by the Ohio State food
purchasing system with qualifying Ohio farms, businesses, and communities by May 1, 2018.
This outreach and engagement effort aims to create and/or sustain positive economic,
social, and environmental impacts from updated food sourcing policies and procedures. The
panel will engage stakeholder groups to identify qualifying food system partners while
continuing to grow existing relationships.
Conclusion
The Agenda of Action detailed above will assure full implementation of a system for
documenting progress toward reaching the full scope of goals represented by this project
within a two-year period, corresponding to the October 1, 2018 deadline for achieving
transparency of sourcing for all food received within the university’s self-managed food
services. We will then track and report that progress until 2025, as indicated in the original
charge, and beyond. It is hoped that other objectives will emerge along the way that might
affect other foods available to the campus community through existing and new
partnerships.
Ultimately, it is our hope that the values and achievements represented by the success of
this project will result in a fully immersive teaching and learning experience for everyone at
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Ohio State, including students, faculty, staff and even visitors to the university. Our vision is
that the experience of nourishing our bodies need not be separated in any way from the
more traditional intent to nourish our minds, and that the food served and shared on our
campus be understood to represent the same opportunity for advancement that we take for
granted in the classrooms and boardrooms where important lessons and decisions take
place. Food is the common thread that knits together a dynamic and ever-changing
community, and we intend to take full advantage of the promise that our common food
system represents.
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Attachment A
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Charge to Establish a University Panel on Food Sustainability
April 2016
BACKGROUND
In November 2015, university leaders accepted a comprehensive set of sustainability goals developed by the President and Provost’s Council on Sustainability.
Among the goals was one that calls for the university to “increase production and purchase of locally and sustainably sourced food to 40 percent by 2025.”
Additionally, university leaders have supported an initiative through the Discovery Themes to transform food systems on campus, in the community, and across Ohio
and beyond to achieve food security for health. Building on the goals outlined, the university needs to consider issues related to how it informs internal and external
audiences about our strategic plan and our progress. To this end, the university will create a panel and charge its members with the development of this plan.
THE CHARGE
Deliver to the Ohio State community and the public a full accounting of accomplishments related to food sustainability across the institution, not only in the dining
halls but in all phases of university life and in connection with Ohio communities; and to develop the strategic plan to accomplish our 2025 goal. At a minimum, these
are goals the University Panel on Food Sustainability will accomplish:
•
•
•
•
Define terms, particularly “sustainable” and “local,” to achieve scientific rigor and clarity around our 2025 goal.
Determine metrics by which waste, nutrition, diet-related health, hunger, food sources, cost and impact of Ohio State purchasing will be measured;
Establish baselines for each of the metrics listed above.
Develop an inclusive system of governance over the implementation of the initiative that engages students, staff, faculty and stakeholders in ensuring a rigorous and
transparent approach to achieving the goal.
• Ensure an approach that engages food buyers on all Ohio State campuses and others impacted by university purchasing on Ohio farms and in Ohio businesses and
communities.
•
•
•
•
Incorporate the initiative as a larger educational component of the Ohio State experience.
Outline how the internal Ohio State community informs and interfaces with external audiences.
Report on progress to date as well as future plans and opportunities to engage all audiences.
Create a timeline for action.
PANEL FORMATION / TIMELINE
Kate Bartter, chair of President and Provost’s Council on Sustainability, will convene the group, which will determine the appropriate chairperson or persons and
coordinate additional members for the panel. The panel’s agenda of action will be delivered to Senior Vice President !dams-Gaston and Interim Executive Vice
President Provost McPheron by September 15, 2016.
POTENTIAL PANEL MEMBERS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Student Representatives – to be determined
Faculty/Staff Representatives – to be determined
Zia Ahmed, Sr. Director, Dining Services, Student Life
Kate Bartter, Director, Office of Energy and Environment (initial convener)
Molly Calhoun, Associate VP of Student Life (or alternative leader)
Casey Hoy, Faculty Director, the Initiative for Food and AgriCultural Transformation (InFACT)
Ryan Schmiesing, Senior Administrative Officer, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
Brian Snyder, Executive Director, InFACT
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Attachment B
FOOD SUSTAINABILITY GOAL CHARGE COMMITTEE
Member
Category
Colleen Spees
Faculty
Kareem Usher
Faculty
Laura Kington
Staff
Julie Jones
From
School of Health and
Rehabilitation Services
Email Address
[email protected]
Knowlton School
Farm to school program,
OSU Extension
[email protected]
Staff
Staff, alternate for
Julie Jones
Wexner Medical Center
[email protected]
Wexner Medical Center
[email protected]
Mikayla Bodey
Student
USG - Public Affairs
[email protected]
Katie D'Amico
Student
CGS
[email protected]
Mara Momenee
Student
[email protected]
Sarah Brown
Student
RFC - Honors CFAES
President - Residence Halls
Advisory Council
Ethan Shillington
Student
Student - Alternate
for Ethan Shillington
RFC - sophomore
[email protected]
RFC
[email protected]
Sophie Chang
Student
USG - in Real Food OSU
[email protected]
Leslie Shaller
Community Partners
[email protected]
Zia Ahmed
Staff
AceNET
Senior Director, Dining
Services
Kate Bartter
Staff
Director, OEE
[email protected]
Molly Calhoun
Staff
Staff – Alternate for
Molly Calhoun
Assoc. VP, Student Life
[email protected]
Student Life
[email protected]
Casey Hoy
Faculty
Faculty Director, InFACT
[email protected]
Ryan Schmiesing
Staff
Associate Provost
[email protected]
Brian Snyder
Staff
Exec. Director, InFACT
[email protected]
Mike Folino
Sally Doyle
Tom Reeves
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[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]